Kenny - No current or capital cuts, and no new taxes

[goosebump]

(Please don't read this as a FG bashing thread. I have no problem with FG leading the next Government or Kenny being Taoiseach, in fact I think its essential that this is so.)

EK did an interview on Morning Ireland today in which he said that FG would maintain the capital spending programme, not cut health/education/social welfare, and that there would be no new taxes (water, property etc).

Obviously, as leader of FG, he has to put out a fairly bland and non-controversial message, but are voters really going to swallow this? Surely, there is an appetite amongst the electorate for a little bit more straight talking at this stage?

[Cassandra Syndrome]

Cut taxes and cut spending in the appropriate areas.

[Harmonica]

Seems like a really stupid political statement. Why try to dig yourself into a corner like that when no election in sight. Nobody really wants to hear about those specifics now, FG should concentrate on government decisions & the need for a GE now.

[Kevin Doyle]

(Please don't read this as a FG bashing thread. I have no problem with FG leading the next Government or Kenny being Taoiseach, in fact I think its essential that this is so.)

EK did an interview on Morning Ireland today in which he said that FG would maintain the capital spending programme, not cut health/education/social welfare, and that there would be no new taxes (water, property etc).

Obviously, as leader of FG, he has to put out a fairly bland and non-controversial message, but are voters really going to swallow this? Surely, there is an appetite amongst the electorate for a little bit more straight talking at this stage?

Did he go into any detail as to how?

[culmore]

why cut spending , we need people at work, we need money circulating, with money about people can spend and keep other people in work, its called the circle, money is made round to go around

[Bi ciuin]

Well he gets my vote.

Were going bust anyway, at least this guy has the public interest at heart instead of the banks.

[goosebump]

why cut spending , we need people at work, we need money circulating, with money about people can spend and keep other people in work, its called the circle, money is made round to go around

According to that logic, we should increase the dole to €500 per week.

What we need are inflows of wealth into the country, through trade, which means we need to restore competitiveness.

There is little long term gain from people spending money in hairdressors and florists.

[Goban Saor]

why cut spending , we need people at work, we need money circulating, with money about people can spend and keep other people in work, its called the circle, money is made round to go around

Keynesianism got us into this mess, it wont get us out.

[Bebsaboo]

why cut spending , we need people at work, we need money circulating, with money about people can spend and keep other people in work, its called the circle, money is made round to go around

We're borrowing at unsustainable rates to sustain current spending alone. If we continue to spend at this rate the burden of the interest rates will kill the economy. We need to cut back current spending to current revenues to prevent that from happening.

[goosebump]

Seems like a really stupid political statement. Why try to dig yourself into a corner like that when no election in sight. Nobody really wants to hear about those specifics now, FG should concentrate on government decisions & the need for a GE now.

It was a direct question, so he had to give some sort of answer. However, indicating that there would be no new taxes was probably going a bit far.

He should have just said: "I am not going to outline FG's budgetary strategy on a radio programme, but rest assured that FG will apply the fiscal measures that are required to put this country on the right course, without hurting the most vulnerable people in our society."